A few years back, while reading Domino magazine,
I first came across the
I first came across the
whole color coded book case trend.
At first, I didn't know what to make of it...
but the more I saw it, the more it appealed to my sense
of order in design.
Eventually, I decided that
I wanted to emulate this look in my own home...
Last month, I finally tackled the
big bookcase in our family room.
{here it is "before"}
and...
{stylishly organized "after"}
I know some people think organizing books by
color is a bit contrived or ridiculous.
But, for a decor trend that literally costs nothing,
is reversible, and is based on organizing things...
this just makes me happy!
Looks great! And I agree, if it's free and easily reversible why not give it a try! xx
ReplyDeleteI absolutely adore this idea! I did it with my bookcase in my office and it makes me happy too! It started because I color coordinate my clothes in my closet too! I love your before and after pics, it looks Fabulous now! Nice work and great post!
ReplyDelete-Amy Bird Tweets
xoxo
I like what you did and this is inspiring b/c I have a bookshelf that needs some work. I don't even know where to begin!
ReplyDeleteI love it! Looks so great! Such a great idea, job well done!
ReplyDeleteI've done that too a while back and when I have friends over they so love the whole colour coded book idea:)....You did so well:) Really love how it looks:)
ReplyDeleteKisses my dear and have a sunny Thursday
What a great idea! Your book shelves look wonderful. :)
ReplyDeleteI think anything organized by color is pretty...I like the trend. (and for those of us who remember a book by its cover) it makes books easier to find. Great post.
ReplyDelete-- Gretchen O.
The shelves look great!
ReplyDeleteWhen my parents were getting rid of about 20 years of National Geographic magazines, I took them to use as a design element on our built ins in the family room. The yellow looks great!
ReplyDeleteLove how your bookcase redesign turned out! It is also fun to see more of your home!
ReplyDeleteLove the shelves! They look great!
ReplyDeleteI don't know anyone who thinks it is ridiculous! It just really brightens up my day too! I actually find myself just buying books for the colour of its spine - white or black spine, no thank you!! Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteAny design that is easy on the eyes and appears to give a room less clutter, I love! I organize books by color in certain spaces!
ReplyDeletenice job, sue! want to come do mine? :)
ReplyDeleteI think it looks great. And as you said - a pretty simple fix when you are tired of the look. No need to second guess yourself - you are always stylish and chic!
ReplyDeleteI like it ! Rooms are for living in, and in my humble opinion, when it's organized you live better ! Ok, now I need to take my own advice ! ;)
ReplyDeleteI love it! I think it makes the bookcase go from just another bookcase to something very eye catching.
ReplyDeleteQuite a difference, Sue. It looks great!!
ReplyDeleteu did a great take on it! - good job!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful job! What a difference a little organizing makes...I off to declutter.
ReplyDeleteI love color-coding, it looks so much cleaner when you have big blocks of similar tones.
ReplyDeleteOk, we really do like the same things! I have these same pictures saved and just reorganized my own bookshelves by color! I tried to do it in ROYGBIV order, but ended up mixing it up. I love the way it turned out. I like that you have your black and white ones at the top!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think it looks good! and surprisingly, it's the one thing I haven't tried with my books. I've covered them and flipped them 'spine-in' so now I gotta try by color!
ReplyDeleteI love the look!
ReplyDeleteAnd RIP, Domino. I miss that magazine dearly.
well nay-sayers can shut it! I love this look---I think you pulled it off very well! ESPECIALLY---the top shelf, how awesome do the white books and black books look!??!
ReplyDeleteOh wow! It totally makes a difference! I just might have to try it myself!
ReplyDeleteI love that idea!
ReplyDeleteIt looks less scattered than most book shelves.
xx
Nikki
Wow it looks great.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so much better. I've never seen that. It's such a great idea, but I wonder...how would I find the book I'm looking for (I have a ton) if not organized by subject? I will have to think about this...maybe book covers!
ReplyDeleteI agree! Easy and makes a nice change.
ReplyDeletelooks fantastic! xo e
ReplyDeleteI love it and like you said it cost nothing. Great job!
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could handle putting my books out of alphabetical order, but it looks so good that I'm going to try to do so anyway! I love how yours turned out.
ReplyDeleteWhat a big difference! Looks beautiful! I will have to try this ... Hopefully, it will look as good as yours!
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Thursday
xo
Whoa, it looks great. A notable difference indeed. Hmmm....maybe I too shall try it.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this! I find it so clean-looking and very visually appealing.
ReplyDeletexo Josie
http://winksmilestyle.blogspot.com
Great job! I don't know if I would have the patience to colour code, but it looks fab.
ReplyDeleteI love it! You have a really lovely bookcase to start with too :)
ReplyDeleteLove this Zhush...definitely appeals to my OCD-ishness!
ReplyDeleteBravo, very chic. I've done only my closet.
ReplyDeleteYour bookcases look fantastic! What a great tip that costs absolutely nothing!!!!
ReplyDeletexo Elizabeth
Cute! And who knew you
ReplyDeletehad so many RED books???
I guess we don't really
know how many we have of
one color until we try
this....And you are right,
the price is right : ) !
xx Suzanne
What difference it made. (:
ReplyDeleteI think it looks fabulous! So much more organized and easier on the eyes. I might have to give this a shot too. Thanks for the idea :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a fan of this too. You did a great job!!
ReplyDeletelooks awesome! You gave me inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThis makes me happy, too! I love your book case and color-coordinating the books is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteIt looks great!! You're so right. It's easy to undo, and for now you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI love fun new ways to spruce up your home! I never thought about color coordinating our bookshelves but it looks great! I might just have try it this weekend. Thank you for the idea!
ReplyDeletethat's a pretty good idea... mine are organized by topic... business, design, food, sustainability and micsellaneous... but they are organized horizontally... have a nice one!
ReplyDeleteWow Your bookcase is fab colour coded or not! But I do love the colour coded..it really does make an impact. NIce work!
ReplyDeleteI am totally loving this as well. Sadly, I don't think I have enough books to carry this out! I edited when I moved east to west! Love, love, love it though.
ReplyDeleteI definitely love this look!!! I've been wanting to try it.
ReplyDeleteYour bookshelves look great! I have yet to do it in my own home, but I have done it at client's houses and a model home I did recently. It is trendy, but who cares. Like you said it is free and reversible. Love it.
ReplyDeleteThis looks AWESOME!! LOVE it.
ReplyDeleteLooks great.
ReplyDeleteI was recently in a house that had no books :(
Love the first image, I could look at that for hours...such fun!
ReplyDeletewell, clearly we are all of the same oppinion! i admit to have done thins in my own home, and it - too - looks so great and orderly!
ReplyDeletegreat job on your book case,
northern light
i love what you did and such a small thing made such a large impact. i actually do this with my clothes in my closet. it just makes me feel better, less cluttered.
ReplyDeleteWow! Matching up the colors really does create a wonderful effect ~~
ReplyDeletexoxo Laura
Oh I love it! I've seen this done once before but thought they purchased the books to run the color spectrum. Never occurred to me that I could re-org my own shelves like this. Heading to the library now!!
ReplyDeleteIt makes you happy, surely that's the important part. The fact that it looks great is an added bonus ;-) Love from London x
ReplyDeleteOh well done, it's fine unorganized but even better organized, and less distracting for television watchers.
ReplyDeleteOh Sue, I love it! I would love to color coordinate my whole house.
ReplyDeletefantastic! it's always fun to see real-life projects.
ReplyDeletexx fallon
I had my books this way for a good while...yep, anal like that...so I get the need for order. And, then depending how many I've taken out to read or reference...they get uncoded and random again!
ReplyDeleteI think the change looks great! It's as if the bookcase can now breathe easier.
Aarrgh!! This is my pet peeve. Books come first, design second for me--end of story. I organize books by category, for quick reference. They are all over my house, but by category so I know what room to go into to find a book! The only designy thing I do with them is put the tallest ones in the center, with smaller decending in either direction. Also, I'm a stickler for all the bindings to be at the exact end of the shelf. Needless to say I also own a kindle for print only books. I am constantly curating my collection. I am a secret librarian!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Liz
I love that idea! Brilliant! I've never thought to organize books by color. I'm such an organizational freak, so I am loving this little tip!
ReplyDeleteNo, I love it! It's fabulous! XX!
ReplyDeleteI love what you do! The bookcase looks so stylish the organized way, but I have to group my books so I can find what I want. It would probably be better if I just got rid of a few!! As always, I'm grateful for your comments on my blog. I appreciate that you're a faithful follower!
ReplyDeleteI just did this at our new house on the wall of books! I knew I wanted to long before we moved in...it looks amazing..when I'm ready I'll share pics!
ReplyDeleteI love it! It makes such a difference and looks beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLooks productive, looks orderly, looks lovely, looks like you did a really-great-job!!! Kudos to you and your total bookalicious score :) XO, Kelly
ReplyDeleteI say colour code away! It's how I do my wardrobe :)
ReplyDeleteI love the new ordered look! Good job you did my friend!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend!
xx
Greet
i think it looks awesome zushie! man i need to tackle some of this kind of detail in my place.
ReplyDeletehope you have a great weekend darl xx
Love the 4th photo!
ReplyDeletehttp://styleandoutfit.blogspot.com/
Love the Zhush, firstly. this is one of those trends I wish hadn't come along. all round not a fan of color blocking in any case. When amassing a huge collection of books this doesn't work well, I should think-finding a particular thing would be impossible. It is hard enough for me as it is-Mine are by genre and then alphabetized. pgt
ReplyDeleteI have to confess.. I have some of that going at my house as well! Trendy or not. I love it!
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job Sue -- now show more of your fabulous house! Much more!
Happy weekend! ox, Mon
amazing how such a small change can make a big difference!!
ReplyDeleteI like it. And I agree with all of your reasons why!
ReplyDeleteLike it! Nice work. And cost nothing.
ReplyDeleteyour bookcase looks good. organizing by color makes it look so neat and tidy. thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteooohh I JUST did mine too...I was reluctant because it meant putting books by the same author (same series even, like part 1, part 2) in opposite corners...then i figured, I don't actually READ my books in an orderly fashion, so I kinda like the randomness that happened through strict colour coding...am I making any sense? Love your bookcase!
ReplyDeleteIt looks so great!!! I think I need to do this with my white bookshelves...but I'm also so OCD about keeping genres together....we'll see!
ReplyDeleteME LIKE!
ReplyDelete